MX23RW : Wednesday, April 2 04:51:40| >> :120:5720:5720:

Former Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso reveals Barcelona contact

Bayern Munich midfielder Xabi Alonso reveals that he came close to joining Barcelona rather than Real Madrid when he left Liverpool.

Bayern Munich midfielder Xabi Alonso has revealed that he came close to joining Barcelona when he was at Liverpool.

Alonso joined Real Madrid in 2009 after spending five years with Liverpool, but the Spaniard has claimed that he almost moved to Camp Nou after "a conversation between Rafael Benitez and Pep Guardiola".

"It was the summer that Liverpool wanted to sell me, and there was a conversation between Rafa [Benitez] and Pep [Guardiola]," Alonso told El Pais.

"Pep told me about it in Germany. He told Rafa that he liked me a lot and I would fit very well with his way of playing, but Busquets had started in the first team and had tremendous potential. So Pep opted for him, and he was not mistaken. He turned into a great player for them.

"It was not that I was uncomfortable at Madrid, but I had been there five years and after winning La Decima I wanted to try something else."

Alonso, 35, has scored nine times in 111 appearances for Bayern since joining the German champions.

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 Jordi Alba of Spain jumps on teammate Xabi Alonso in celebration after a goal on a penalty kick by Alonso in the first half during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group B match between Spain and Netherlands at Arena Fonte Nova on June 13, 2014
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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona29213582285466
2Real Madrid29196462293363
3Atletico MadridAtletico29169447232457
4Athletic Bilbao291411446242253
5Villarreal28138751391247
6Real BetisBetis2913884036447
7Rayo Vallecano29101093331240
8Celta Vigo29117114242040
9Mallorca29117112835-740
10Real Sociedad29115132731-438
11Getafe2999112625136
12Sevilla2999113339-636
13GironaGirona2997133745-834
14Osasuna2971393342-934
15Valencia29710123246-1431
16Espanyol2878132740-1329
17AlavesAlaves2969143244-1227
18Leganes2969142846-1827
19Las PalmasLas Palmas2968153348-1526
20Real ValladolidValladolid2944211965-4616


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